We're not the only ones dealing with the advantages and difficulties of distributed work; 20 to 25 percent of the US workforce telecommutes for at least a portion of the time, and multiple office locations are common. Google's People Innovation Lab (PiLab), which investigates ways to improve work both inside and outside of Google, has published a set of playbooks to share with Googlers and other businesses their results and best practices for distributed work.
Google claims that there is "no difference in the effectiveness, performance ratings, or promotions for individuals and teams whose work requires collaboration with colleagues around the world versus Googlers who spend the majority of their day-to-day working with colleagues in the same office" in their findings. According to additional studies, employees who work remotely don't see a decrease in productivity.
How to Be a Good Virtual Coworker
1. Schedule a video call lunch date with your employees.
When at the office, many coworkers eat lunch together. The good news is that working from home need not interfere with your regular daily schedule. Make it a habit to schedule a video call a couple of days a week over lunch to connect with your coworkers much like you would in the cafeteria or break room at work. This is a wonderful strategy to make sure you take a break from work during the day so you can regroup and recharge before a fruitful afternoon.
2. Host a gathering
By using a video chat to celebrate a coworker's forthcoming birthday or work anniversary, you may give yourself and your coworkers something to look forward to. You have the option of pinning a notice about the event in your chat room or sending a meeting invitation like you would for an in-office get-together (s).
Encourage guests to make their screen backgrounds festive, either by hanging available decorations in their homes or personalizing their virtual backgrounds, to distinguish the event from a meeting. Think about giving the party a theme and inviting guests to participate by bringing a specific snack, drink, or another item.
3. Plan a joyful hour.
A long-standing office custom known as "happy hours" allows employees to socialize with one another while having off-the-job conversations in a relaxed environment. Maybe about organizing a regular video call happy hour with your teammates, inviting them to bring food and drink of their choosing. To keep the call informal and structured for team bonding, try to steer clear of discussing work too much, or at all, if at all feasible. So there are several benefits of work from home in the same way as remote support in business.
4. Create a virtual book club.
Now that you don't have to commute, you might have more time for reading. Think about starting a book club to choose the book you wish to read each month via email or online chat. Even though many local bookstores and libraries are closed, you might be able to find an audiobook or borrow the book online.
To discuss a few chapters at a time, or the full book, schedule a biweekly or monthly video chat. Depending on the size of your team or organization, you might want to encourage the creation of several book groups with a variety of genres so that no one group grows too large and becomes difficult to discuss.
5. Online Games
Playing online games at your workplace can help promote team development. There are a lot of free online group game alternatives, but you can also keep it straightforward by playing games in your chat room, including trivia.
You may ensure that your teams and organization stay upbeat and productive in their new work environments by allowing them to connect through these online social activities.
6. Organize a digital viewing party for a film or television program.
A fantastic method to connect with coworkers outside of work is to watch TV or a movie together. Share your screen during your online call by signing up for a streaming service or downloading a movie. Also, you may use the messaging functionality of your video platform to discuss particular moments as you watch them.
7. Organize a fitness club
Scheduling regular exercise time might be beneficial for your mental and physical health when working from home. Together with taking regular breaks from your desk, you can exercise with your coworkers by sharing at-home workout regimens over chat or performing them together on a video call.
One of your teammates might be ready to teach a virtual session if they are an experienced or certified trainer in a particular sport, such as HIIT or yoga. The instructor can be the only person visible on the screen during a webinar-style video chat, and participants can keep their video off and their microphones muted the entire time.
8. Make a channel for "positive news"
In this difficult and uncertain time, it is vital to maintain an optimistic attitude. Create a chat channel called "positive news" to highlight happy news. Sharing uplifting and upbeat news headlines or articles with your coworkers will help you both stay inspired and productive.
The Conclusion
Building your virtual cooperation abilities is one of the finest ways to enhance relationships with your coworkers and increase team productivity when working from home. Even if you're regarded as a fantastic team member in an office setting, working remotely poses a unique set of obstacles for both teams and individuals. Although if you do not influence whether the people you work with have strong remote team skills, you can help your team by learning the best ways to be a good virtual colleague.
Thankfully, you may improve your abilities in this field through online training, some of which are free. For instance, eLearning Brothers, whose clients include Walmart, Disney, and Amazon, provides learners with more than 15 free training courses that shed light on subjects like how to strengthen your teamwork skills when working from home. This company's free remote work training curriculum is available.
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